


Make myself a winner

by Grimeye



Category: My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic
Genre: Blood and Gore, F/F, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Post-Season/Series 09 Finale, Slice of Life, Villain Protagonist, Villains
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-08
Updated: 2021-02-07
Packaged: 2021-03-12 17:02:43
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 8
Words: 13,604
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28638963
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Grimeye/pseuds/Grimeye
Summary: Misty Flare is an everyday kirin from Kirin Grove. She is also power-hungry and wants to become a villain.Fortunately, there is an old artifact that will give her unimaginable power for a price. Of course she's going to take it.
Relationships: Minor or Background Relationship(s), Original Female Character/Original Female Character
Kudos: 1





	1. It's magic

**Author's Note:**

> Hi, this is my first fanfic. I hope you enjoy it.
> 
> Word of warning, there is some darker stuff later on in the story. The main character is a villain, and she does villainous things.

The brown mare tapped her pencil against the clipboard. "We've never had a kirin in this school before. I understand kirin magic is... less potent than unicorn magic."

"She passed the written exam," said another judge.

"It means nothing if she can't do any spells."

Misty Flare breathed in and out, trying to temper her anger. Her voice still came out in a low growl: "I know."

The mare's eyebrow arched.

Misty let out a gentle cough, pretending she was swallowing honey to keep her voice sweet. "I mean- meant I'll be the first kirin in your school."

"Very well. I'm interested to see what you can do."

Misty let out a long sigh, rolling her shoulders. Two bands along her horn glowed blue, the same colour as her fur coat.

Magic needed a release, and she gave it one, directed towards the floor.  
Linoleum crackled and creased, and a tiny green leaf grew out of the hole she had created.

She let it go.

The scritch of pencils spelt her death sentence.

"I'm going to try that again," Misty replied.

"We've seen quite enough," said the mare, lifting a hoof. Her expression was like smooth stone, but a smug smirk quivered around her lips.

Misty glared at the line of judges. "You have to let me in. My Dad's Oak Flare."

The judges shared a look.

"You are done here." The mare's horn glowed a dull grey, reaching out to the tiny plant Misty had created.

"No!" shouted Misty, running towards the plant, batting away the judges' magic to cradle the plant with her magic.

"Young filly," said the judge, "you need to leave."

Misty straightened to her full height, which wasn't very tall. In a puff of fire, she was a nirik.  
Fire licked along the floorboards under her hooves.

The judge's horns glowed, and in a split second, the world turned upside down, then right side up. She was on a sidewalk, her nirik form sputtering out. She was, once again, a kirin, holding the slightly singed plant in her magic.

The purple, white and yellow streets theme told her she was still in Canterlot, though where she couldn't guess. Misty growled deep in her throat.

The judges had teleported her.

The creatures around her blatantly ignored her, streaming around her like she was a stone in a river. Since it was an early morning, it probably meant that they were all on their way to work.

A street dragon was selling maps of the city, and she asked for one in as polite a manner as she could.

"Do you have any bits?" the dragon asked.

Misty stopped her eyes from filling with tears. "I'm sorry. I'm new in Canterlot, and-and-and-"

"Hey, it's okay, don't cry," the dragon said gruffly. "Where do you need to go?"

Misty quickly explained the inn where her parents were staying, and the dragon pointed her in the right direction. She skipped down the street, keeping a tight hold on the plant.

The streets became more and more familiar as she finally reached Canterlot inn.

Like most of the buildings in Canterlot, it was purple, yellow and white. It had one huge spire and a blue door that stuck out like a sore thumb.

"Misty, what are you doing outside?" asked her Dad's voice. His face was peeking out of the top window, eyeing Misty.

His name was Oak Flare. His fur was brown, but he had a red mane and red eyes like Misty's. He was wearing a red bow tie.  
He didn't wait for her to answer, his head popping out of view.

They had been staying at Canterlot Inn for a few days. Misty had already written several letters to her friends back home, detailing how fancy it was with bright and shiny marble.

Misty headed inside the inn and up to her room. She popped the plant in a jug on the bedside table with a frown.

It still looked a little wilted, so she prodded at it with a hoof. It didn't perk up.

The door swung open, and Dad marched in, nose in the air. He closed the door with his magic and walked toward her, sitting on her bed.

"Where's Mom?" Misty asked.

"She went out to The Grand Galloping Galla. I had work so I couldn't go."

Misty's eyes bugged out. She mouthed each word carefully, holding them in her mouth as if they were precious: The Grand Galloping Galla.

"You can go next year. I'll buy you another new dress."

"Really?"

"Of course. You'll be eight next year. I think that's old enough." He nodded a few times and gave her mane a ruffle. "How did the test go?"

"I failed. I tried super hard too."

"It's not the end of the world. You could always go to the School of Friendship in a few years."

"Ew."

"What do you mean, ew?"

Misty perked up, rolling her eyes. She gave him that look, the one that said he knew nothing. "I already know loads about friendship. I want to learn about magic and now I never will." Her voice had turned solemn and serious.

"Things do have a way of working out, kiddo."

Misty rested her head on her desk, next to her large pile of books and the small jar containing the plant. "But, I want things to work out now."

He smiled at her. "I need to go finish my work. I have a surprise for you later."

Misty's head whipped around to face him. "Is it candy?"

"It's something better than candy."

"Nothing's better than candy," Misty said very seriously.

He wilted at her expression while she turned back to her plant. She didn't look as he closed the door behind him.

Misty picked up a thick book, flipping it open. She'd already read it cover to cover, she knew all the spells, yet she couldn't get them to work.

She slammed it shut, gathering all the magic she could in her horn and directing it at the tiny plant. Blue magic poured over every single leaf. It turned a lurid green.


	2. School's in forever,

Mom loved her parties and Misty wanted to be like Mom so Misty liked parties too. Mom's name was Bluebell Flare, and she was a kirin the colour of bluebells, from her mane to her fur coat to her eyes.

And, of course, she arrived with a flair at the restaurant.

She had feathers stuck in her mane of all colours and a dress that glittered like stars as she walked toward their table.

The other guests paused while eating.

Dad pulled a chair out for her, and Mom burst into giggles before sitting down and fanning herself with one of her many fans.

"I take it the gala went well," said Dad.

"It was the best gala I've ever been to," Mom answered.

"It's the only gala you've ever been to."

Misty stared between her parents, trying to figure something out but she couldn't quite put the dots together yet. "Next year, Dad says I could go," she said. "He also says he'll get me a new dress then and he has a surprise for me."

"Does he now? You two have certainly been busy. Well, we can get ready together next year," Mom said, bowing her head close to Misty's. It was their conspiracy meeting, and Misty was eating it up. "We can do each other's manes, and I'll help you with your dress."

Misty ate her stew eagerly, listening to Mom describe the gala. It sounded wonderful.

"The Princess was there. She greeted each guest," continued Mom. "Did you know your Dad's cousin -Fern Flare, was it- met Applejack and Fluttershy?"

Misty huffed and rolled her eyes. "I've heard this story so many times."

Mom laughed. "So, what's this surprise you got for Misty?"

"Guess who is going to Princess Celestia's School for Gifted Unicorns?" Dad asked.

"She passed the test? Good job, sweetie." Mom hugged Misty tight, leaving Misty struggling to push her away.

"No, but I did pull some strings," Dad continued.

"Daddy!" squealed Misty. She wriggled out of Mom's grip running around to hug Dad instead.

Misty had gotten in like she knew she would. The judges should've listened to her warning. Now, she had an expression like a cat that had gotten into the cream.

"You bought her way in?" Mom asked carefully.

"You should've seen her when she came back. She really tried her best," Dad answered with a tender smile in Misty's direction.

"What about the kids that passed?" Mom asked frostily.

Misty looked between her parents and took one step back.

"Dear-" began Dad.

"Don't dear me. What do you think this teaches her?"

Misty turned around and ran towards the door that led upstairs. Her parents didn't notice her leave.  
She flopped face first on her bed, rolling until she could see a sliver of sky outside.

A heavy, fat moon hung in the sky, making the spires and rooftops of Canterlot glisten. The stars here were very different from back home.

"Leafy," Misty said. Her voice shook. "Leafy." More anger leeched into her voice. She sat up, sitting next to the plant. "I'm going to school." She started to grin, but it fell. "I hope that Mom will agree soon. What if she doesn't?"  
She was both happy, bitter, and scared. She flopped back onto the bed.

Leafy said nothing.

-

Mom and Dad were still arguing, but it didn't matter, at least until Mom moved out into a small little flat in a knobbly tree. That was when Misty knew it was serious.

But, her thoughts kept going back to the school. In a matter of weeks, she was in the school dorms, using her magic to unpack her suitcases.

They were crammed full of dresses Dad had gotten her, and she wondered where to hang them up when a unicorn walked in. Her fur was a light brown, and her mane was a white bob tipped with red. She didn't have a Cutie Mark.

"Are you my roommate?" Misty asked.

"Yes, I'm Savarin."

"Okay. The top bunk is mine, by the way, and I call this part of the room." Misty planted her hoof down to show which portion of the room she meant.

Savarin headed toward the door, not looking back as she pulled the door open.

"You're going out?" Misty asked.

Savarin nodded once, turning to walk back out of the room.

"Don't forget to knock if you come back in!"

Savarin showed no sign she had heard. Misty tutted, shaking her head. She flicked through her dresses, unsure which one to wear first.

Princess Twilight Sparkle was giving a speech for the first years, and she wanted to look her best: a lush green and black.  
It brought out the colour of her red mane and her eyes.

She set up her books and then Leafy on her desk. "Can you believe Savarin? She's lame. I hope I meet some cool unicorns."

The bell rang, the announcements crackling. It was a spell Misty had read about in her books, allowing a creature to amplify their voice.

"All first years to the auditorium," said a stern voice.

The hallways were full by the time Misty entered the hallway in her special dress. She stiffened when she noticed no one else had dressed up.  
In fact, no one was wearing any clothes.

She held her head high, all the way to the auditorium and to the sloping seating area where she sat. Several of her classmates giggled in her direction, hiding their mouths behind their hooves.

Misty ignored them, straightening up. She belonged here. She did. Didn't she?

The audience was facing a lit up podium, behind which were sparkly purple curtains.

A brown- and pink striped unicorn walked onto the stage with a big smile. "I'm happy to see so many of you. I'm Brown Dust. You can all call me Ms Dust. Please invite to the stage Princess Twilight Sparkle, headmare of our school. She wishes to say a few words."

Ms Dust bowed once before she walked smartly off the stage.  
A few seconds later, the doors behind them opened, and everyone twisted around in their seats.  
Princess Twilight walked to the stage, standing behind the podium.

She was taller than everycreature in the room, towering over teachers and students alike with her mane flowing with excess magic.

It was the kind of magic Misty desperately wanted.

"Hello everypony... and kirin," Princess Twilight said. "Every year, I always give a speech for the first years. I am happy to see all of your happy and eager faces. I know you will want to start reading your textbooks before classes tomorrow and get a headstart. I know I did when I was here, but friendship is just as important. I hope this year will prove to be an interesting one..."

The Princess went on to discuss new classes and a bit about the history of the school itself.  
After her speech, everycreature clapped politely.

"Dinner will be in an hour in the dining hall," Ms Dust said. "Curfew is at 8 o'clock for first years. Do not leave the school grounds."

No one was paying attention, already trailing out of the auditorium. Misty moved towards the doors, but a green unicorn stopped her, pointing with a hoof at her dress.

"Where did you get your dress?" the unicorn asked. "I'm Nettle."

"I'm Misty Flare. My Dad got it for me. Do you like it? I bet you do."

The two wandered into the hall, while Misty started to explain how her Dad had gotten it for her. Amazingly, Nettle nodded along as if it were fascinating and Misty stopped at her dorm.

"I'm still unpacking," Misty said.

"Me too," Nettle replied.

Savarin whispered an "excuse me," before entering Misty and her dorm, the door closing behind her.

Nettle snorted. "Is Savarin seriously your roommate?"

"Yes. She is a little weird-"

"She's a blank flank," whispered Nettle, leaning closer to Misty's ear. Misty was about to say that she was technically one too, but Nettle kept on talking. "I went to school with her in Ponyville. Trust me, super weird. She wanted to be my friend, and I kept telling her, no, but she kept following me around. Also, her parents are, like, divorced. I've heard."

"My Mom doesn't live with my Dad anymore. Are you saying it's weird because I will be mad."

Nettle rolled her eyes. "Fine, whatever. But, she followed me around. Like a stalker."

"Ugh, weird."

"I know. You should sit with my friends and me for dinner."

Misty watched her new friend walk down the hallway toward her rooms, and she entered the dorm room.  
Savarin jumped out of her skin on the lower bunk, hitting herself in the face with her book.

"How is your new friend?" asked Savarin.

Misty stopped on her way to her suitcase, pulling off her dress. She hung it up with the others, picking bits of dust off her mane. The auditorium was so dusty. "She invited me to sit with her for lunch. Isn't it great?"  
Savarin said nothing.

During dinner, Misty met Nettle's other friends: Sunbeam and Aurora. They twittered as loudly as Nettle did during lunchtime, sharing all of their secrets of the school.

Rosemary's older sister was going to the school as well, and she waved at an older pony a few tables over.

Misty laughed at their jokes but found her eyes straying to the blue sky outside.

Later that night, Misty felt a twinge of guilt, and before lights out, she wrote a few letters.  
The first two were for her friends in Kirin Grove. She promised to see them when she came home for the Summer. The last was for her parents.

She stopped writing, looking over to the top bunk. Savarin was fast asleep, rolled up like a burrito in her blankets.

The first class of the day was a short lecture on several of the species in Equestria. Misty was asked to come to the front of the class to answer some questions on kirins.  
The day was a dream, at least until the last class.

She walked close to Nettle and Sunbeam; Nettle's other friends had signed up for a different class.

The last class of the day was in a very bare, quintessential classroom.  
Misty took a seat next to Nettle with Sunbeam on the other side.

Twitters echoed in the room before a teacher walked to the chalkboard and wrote his name: Mr Eclipse.

He was a dark yellow, and his mane was in a ponytail. While he smiled at the class, Misty caught a glimpse of his cutie mark. Her eyes always went to them whenever she saw a pony, and his cutie mark was an eclipse of the sun.

"Settle down class," Mr E said.

Misty felt a poke on her side, taking the note Nettle passed her without looking. It was a doodle of a dragon and Misty scribbled a moustache onto its face before passing it back to her.

Nettle quietly giggled and turned quiet when Mr E focused on her. She tucked the note into her books with a bashful grin.

"No passing of notes during class, please. Talk in your own time," he said. "Today, we're going to learn about spells, namely conjuring. Can anyone tell me what conjuring is?"

Misty raised her hoof.

Mr E looked around the room but settled on her with a sigh. "Yes, Misty?"  
"It means creating objects out of nothing," Misty replied.

"Very good. Everyone split up into groups of four."

It was a simple project, consisting of writing down some definitions and taking turns trying to make an apple appear. Afterwards, they had to present their findings to the class.

Misty used markers to write down the answers to the questions, barely listening to her two group members. She capped the pen with a click.

Nettle nudged her. "This is so easy, isn't it? I learned this in Grade School. I thought this school would be challenging."

"I know, right?" interjected Sunbeam.

"I could learn this in my sleep," Misty said. "And I did. I had a dream, and I could wake up and do all this."

Nettle tossed her mane, her horn glowing a bright green. She aimed at the ground, and in a flash, a shiny red apple appeared.

Misty stomped her hooves on the floor and Nettle preened. Misty's stomping faltered. She knew the mechanisms behind conjuring, but she couldn't do it during her test.

Sunbeam went next, and her apple was yellow. Aurora's apple was bright green.

"Your turn, Misty," said Nettle.

"I already did the writing," Misty said.

"You said it was easy, right Sunbeam? Wasn't it easy?"

Sunbeam chorused yeses until Mr E shushed her.

Misty closed her eyes, reaching deep into her reserves of magic. Blue surrounded her horn, and she aimed it directly next to her group members' apples.

Misty pressed a little harder, something coalescing next to the red apple.  
The light cleared. The result was a very tiny plant, similar to Leafy, pressing tiny leaves out through the floorboards.

Nettle burst out laughing.  
Misty's cheeks were glowing as she tried to hide in her mane.  
Mr E wandered over, frowning at the tiny plant.

"I meant to do that," Misty said.

"That's... wonderful. But it's not the project," he said. "Can you conjure an apple?"

Misty's magic stretched out, exploring the ground, and when the light cleared, there was nothing. Nettle laughed even harder.

"Stop laughing!" Misty shouted, shoving Nettle over.

Nettle blinked on the ground before she pointed at Misty. "Did you see that, teacher? She pushed me."

"But I just-" Misty began.

"Misty, stay in the hallway for 15 minutes," Mr E ordered. "Clear your head."

Misty sighed, getting up and walking out of the classroom. The door closed behind her.  
The hallway was a different place during class time, like an alien world.

Mr E had told her to clear her head, but the longer she stood outside the more her anger grew.

It must've been 15 minutes later because the door creaked open, Nettle sticking her head out into the hallway. "Hey."

"Why did you laugh at me?" Misty asked.

"It was funny. Anyway, it's time for our presentation."

Misty went back into class with Nettle, going to the front of the class with her group members. Their sheets of paper were tacked to the chalkboard.

Nettle read off the answers, holding up her apple with her magic. Sunbeam and Aurora followed suit.

Misty blinked gormlessly at the crowd, before she read out the last question, skipping over the words. The plant she had conjured was nowhere to be found, so she helplessly motioned around.

The unicorns twittered until Mr E shushed them.

It was in a daze that Misty collected her books from her desk. The others went out of the class, but Mr E stopped her with a hoof on her shoulder.

Misty twitched, fire tickling her hooves, but she turned around. "What? They stole my answers, and I meant to do the plant. I diiiid."

He gave her a look. It was the one Misty's Mom always gave her, one that demanded she tell the truth. "Are you telling the truth?"

She stared him straight in the eye, wavering. "I said it was, so it is."

"Misty, you failed this project. I expected better from you. If you can't do such an easy project, you need to consider whether this school is right for you-"

Misty glared before she bowed her head. "Fine."

"I'm glad we had this chat."

Misty left the room.

Nettle was standing in the hallway, leaning against the wall. "Are you going to sit with us?"

"I need to study. I'll sit with you in a bit."

"Whatever then. See ya."

Misty walked in the opposite direction from Nettle. The smells of food drifted to her nose, but she forced herself to keep on walking, right into her dorm.

She let out a sharp scream, bursting into fire and singeing the carpet. She tamped down on her anger, leaving Savarin blinking at her.

Misty ignored her, sagging at her table and tearing a new piece of paper off her diary.  
She wrote: dear Dad, at the top before setting down her pencil.  
Her stomach growled. White coloured magic surrounded a chunk of bread. Savarin was offering it to her.  
Misty took it. "Why?"

"You are hungry," was Savarin's reply.

Misty hummed, finishing the chunk of bread. It had settled her stomach, though she was still hungry. She headed into the hallway and went to the dining hall.

She grabbed an assortment of food, hovering her tray towards the table where her friends sat. Ears twitching, she heard them talking.

"I bet Misty'll pay off Daddy, so she doesn't fail," said Nettle.

"Where's the plant that she did?" asked Aurora, rolling around in her chair with laughter.

Nettle set a very familiar plant on the table, and they laughed together.  
Misty moved closer and closer, breathing in and out. She didn't want to melt the tray with her fire, nor did she want Nettle to notice.

Nettle kept on talking: "she couldn't even conjure an apple. Why is she here in the first place?"

Aurora went pale when she spotted Misty. "Uh, Nettle..."

"I'm talking-"

Misty dumped her tray over Nettle. Soup poured down Nettle' fur, dripping into her eyes.  
The dining hall went quiet.

"Misty?!" Nettle said, spiralling around.

Misty pushed Nettle to the ground and socked her square in the jaw.


	3. With a proper introduction

Dad set a plate of fruit on the table and gave her a poke. "Hey, kiddo. Don't worry. It's only for a few weeks." He pecked a kiss on her cheek.

Misty wilted even further. "A teacher told me I shouldn't go to school anymore."

"Who told you that?"

"Mr E," Misty said. 'Will you get him fired?"

Dad gulped and forced a smile. "I can complain." He patted her mane with a hoof. "I'll be right upstairs, chickpea. Call me if you need anything."

Misty let out a noncommittal grunt as Dad went upstairs. Once he was gone, she poked at the fruit with a hoof.

"Misty," said a voice.

"Who's there? Dad?"

The voice sounded amused. "I'm not your Daddy."

"I don't like being teased," Misty said sharply.

"I'm sorry, Misty. Come to your room, and I'll show you what I am."

Misty crammed her mouth full of fruit before heading up the long, shiny staircase. Everything in the mansion was shiny.

Leafy was on her bedside table, in its tiny white pot, but he was different. He had a very simple face: two eyes and a mouth.

The voice came from Leafy itself. "I want to make a deal."

Misty crept toward Leafy and stopped a metre away. "What are you?"

"I heard your anger, Misty. I want to be more than a plant, and the only way you can do this is to get the Fire Flower. It will give me form, and we can share its' magic, so you become powerful beyond your understanding. What do you say?"

"Really?" Misty jumped around in her room. "Yes, yes, yes. Where is this Fire Flower?"

"It's on an asteroid, a chunk of rock that comes near your planet. Every trillion years, this asteroid comes close. In ten years-"

"Ten years!" Misty stopped leaping around, squinting at Leafy. "Isn't there another way I can become super powerful? My Dad told me hard work would get you everywhere. Is Dad lying?"

A strange wheezing sound came from Leafy. It was laughing, his stalk bending over, his eyes closing.

Misty growled deep in her throat, pressing her hoof against Leafy. "Answer me!"

"Careful, child. Your Dad might hear you."

"I can stop watering you!"

Leafy stopped laughing, wiping tears from his eyes using his leaves. "Sorry, Misty. Kirin magic is nature-based, growing plants-"

Misty blew her bangs out from her face. "Tell me something I don't know."

"...And you don't have that innate power."

"What power does this Fire Flower even have?"

"It can give you everything."

Misty pursed her lips. "Fine, it better be worth it, or else."

Leafy crossed its leaves and rolled his eyes.

The next three weeks of her suspension went by alright. She dutifully did her extra homework and wrote an apology to Nettle, even if she didn't mean a word.

She met up with her Kirin Grove friends once or twice, and she even went to her Mom's on the weekend.

Mom lived in a very tiny place, nestled into a hill, near the new Kirin Grove library. It was a little place containing items that Mom had collected over the years.

When Misty's suspension had ended, they took the train to Canterlot, as a family.  
And, into the office, they went.

Vice Principal Dust was there, wrinkling her muzzle. She motioned for Mom, Dad and Misty to take a seat, and they did so.

Dust picked up a manila folder with her magic. It was Misty's student folder. "I'll get right to it; Misty isn't right for this school. Oak bought her way in. It isn't right for her to take another student's spot."

"You've been judging her since the beginning since she's a kirin," Dad said.

Dust's voice went frosty. "I assure you, we've done no such thing. Misty Flare isn't right for this school, and that's that. It would be a crime to keep her in here. She could go to her school back home, or to another institution. Your choice. Or we could take this to the police."

Dad glared. "I'll sue."

"No, you won't," Mom replied. "Listen to yourself. They could sue you. I'm sorry, Ms Dust."

"It doesn't matter-" Dad began.

"Enough!" snapped Mom. "What do you want Misty?"

All eyes turned to Misty, and in a moment of clarity, Misty knew what she had to do. With the Fire Flower, or something else, she'd be powerful. But, at this very moment, she was nothing.

"I'll change schools," she said.

Dad gave another pat, ruffled her mane, and turned his gaze back to Dust. "Okay. Okay."

"I'm glad that's settled," Dust said. "Some of your things are still in your dorm. You're welcome to go get them."

"Okay," Misty answered glumly. She dragged her hooves out of the room and down the hallway, for what must've been the last time. She reached her former dorm room and walked in.

Savarin was reading and sat up when she entered.

"Hey," Misty said. "I'm leaving. You better be happy. I have zero magical talent, and I punched Nettle in the face."

There was a giggle.

When she looked at Savarin again, her face was severe as it always was, but with a very, very small smile. "I'm not happy you're leaving, but I'm happy you punched Nettle." Savarin giggled again.

Misty's jaw dropped, and she could feel her face heating up. She'd never heard such a nice laugh, and it was like wind chimes or something princessy. "Oh, uh, thanks."

Misty headed toward her closet, carrying out her clothes. One of her fancy suitcases was still in the corner of the room, and she crammed them in and then zipped it shut. She turned to face Savarin.

"Sorry for being a bad roommate," Misty said. "I was mean."

"You aren't now."

Misty gaped, shaking her head. She reached into her bag, tearing off a piece of paper. Quickly, she wrote down both addresses at Kirin Grove. Just in case.  
She passed them over. "If you want, we can write letters to each other."

Savarin hovered the piece of paper to her face, sliding it into her book. "I'd like that."

Misty smiled. At least one good thing had come out of her being suspended. "Bye."

"Bye," came the tiny reply.


	4. Just as sweet as arsenic

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Time skips, yo.

\--Four years later--

Eleven-year-old Misty walked through the fields, plucking a tiny red fruit from one of the branches.

Behind her, Dad shifted from hoof to hoof. He was incredibly nervous for her opinion.  
Seriously.

Misty couldn't help but chuckle. Dad thought she was taking over the family business, and she let him believe that.

It was easier than telling him in six years, or so she'd have all the power she could ask for, and she wouldn't want to run a brewery. She had bigger things to do. What she wanted to do with her newfound power she couldn't decide yet, but it would be great.

Dad would be so proud.

"It's wonderful, Dad," she said. "Cherries."

Misty walked through the pinkish trees, breathing in the scent.

Beyond the field of cherries, was a rippling field of golden wheat, and beyond that were the wild trees of Kirin Grove. Several kirin workers were among the trees, bucking the cherries into baskets or harvesting the grain.

"They have a pit inside," Dad added.

"You could breed them without the pit," Misty pointed out. She arched an eyebrow. "Why aren't you writing this down? My words are gold."

She scanned the workers again. One of them was glaring in her direction, saying something to the kirin next to him: spoiled daughter. Misty hissed. She could read lips. She was about to march on over when Dad rested a hoof on her shoulder.

"I think Mom's calling you," he said. "She's visiting today."

Misty gave Dad a quick hug before galloping towards the mansion. She charged inside. Voices reached her ears. Mom was in her room. She charged upstairs, bursting inside in time to see Mom and Leafy talking to one another.

"Mom!" Misty exclaimed.

"Oh, hello Misty," Mom said. "What an interesting plant you have here."

"His name is Leafy." Misty walked around, facing them all the while until she reached her bed. She took a seat. "Was he talking to you?"

"Yes, he was."

Misty twisted her mouth to the side before letting out a huff. "I'm happy he's making more friends, though I thought you liked that willow tree-"

"They were so mean," Leafy interrupted.

"Has Leafy told you anything interesting?" Misty asked.

She didn't have much faith in Leafy's intelligence- he had told the oak tree down the street about the Fire Flower. It had been a problem that was solved with arson.

"Just that you hardly take him out," Mom said.

Misty frowned. "I don't know where to take him."

"Well, it's Mother-daughter day today. We could take him with us."

Misty's eyes bugged out. "Take him to the spa?!"

"My leaves do need moisturizing," Leafy added.

Mom burst out laughing. "Dear, you shouldn't be so concerned with what people think."

Misty couldn't help but gasp. Don't tell her Mom actually liked Leafy?

"I need to talk to Leafy. Alone," Misty said.

Mom left the room, her hoofsteps fading downstairs, along with two voices as she talked to Dad. Misty sagged for a minute, knowing Leafy was watching her before she perked right up.

"Okay, ground rules," she said. "First, talk only to Mom and me."

"Do I have to?" whined Leafy.

"Do you want to drink only water for a month?"

Leafy bowed his flower and Misty scooped him up in her magic.

By the time she, Leafy and Mom were walking through Kirin Grove, it was bustling. Today was a festival of some kind, and three kirins were dancing on a stage and performing tricks with fire.

They stopped to watch for a few minutes before moving on to the spa.

The spa had newly opened, just last year. Two pale blue unicorns ran it. Eyebrows raised when they saw Leafy, but they didn't say a word.

Misty sat down on a chair, holding out her hooves so they could be shined and polished. She couldn't sit still, twisting her head to check Leafy wasn't talking to anyone else but her and Mom.

Mom asked: "how did the two of you meet?"

The two unicorns helped some kirins with a hooficure and fur grooming and weren't paying attention to them.

Misty let out a sigh. "He started talking one day. I was seven."

"I think I must've overheard you two talking a few times," Mom said.

"You did," Leafy replied.

Misty twitched. The unicorns hadn't noticed, talking to the kirins excitedly about the new Kirin Grove museum.  
What would be in that museum Misty didn't know; hardly anything interesting ever happened here.

"I'm glad you had a friend, Misty. He's like a sibling," Mom replied. She shifted on the chaise, blue mane spilling down her shoulders. "I wish I could've been there for you more, Misty. I know the divorce wasn't easy..."

Misty rested a hoof on Mom's shoulder. "We can make up for lost time."

"I'm here too," Leafy added.

Misty smiled. She was getting good at faking smiles. "After the spa, lets' go out to eat. You can come with us, Leafy."

"I can have tea?"

Misty tossed her mane. "Duh." She got the full spa treatment, heading into the sauna alone. Steam billowed around her, and she relaxed. One geyser of flame shot from her hoof into the bucket, heating the water back to boiling.

Laughter. Misty crept to the main door, peeking out into the main spa room. Leafy and Mom were laughing together. It was the hardest Mom had laughed in years.

Of course, Mom liked him more than her daughter. She let a slow smile inch across her face. Don't enjoy it forever, don't enjoy it forever, Leafy.

Things change.

The sky was purpling by the time they got back to the mansion.  
Misty put Leafy on her bedside table. He was asleep already.

The kirin that had called her spoiled with slinging several baskets of cherries onto the back of a cart. Misty's lips twisted bitterly.

He had called her a spoiled daughter. If that was what he thought, she'd play the part. It was time to find her Dad.

-

\--Four years later--

Every Summer, Savarin returned from the Unicorn Magic school and stayed with her parents, and every Summer, Misty had a chance to visit.

But, this year was different. She was fifteen now, and Mom and Leafy weren't coming with her.

Savarin was helping her with the asteroid plan, and they needed to talk it over. She had spent years cultivating a civil relationship with Mom, leading up to Mom letting her go to Ponyville by herself.

Mom was even looking after Leafy.

Trotting through Ponyville's centre, she even heard some singing.

Savarin's family bakery was brightly coloured, sticking out like a sore thumb. It was shaped like two macarons on top of one another, one pink and the other red, topped with a swirl of cream that was the roof. A tilted door stuck out the front.

Misty trotted in, easily finagling her suitcases around her head as she stepped inside.

A bright yellow earth pony sat behind the counter, beaming when she spotted Misty. "Misty. Heavens to Betsy, I could've met you at the station. Savarin must've fallen asleep again."

"Hello Ms Madeleine," Misty said.

"Oh, you can drop the miss." Madeleine laughed. "I can help you with your luggage."

"There's no one else operating the shop. Where's Tatin?"

"Tatin!" shouted Madeleine. "Where is that boy?"

Tarte Tatin, or Tatin for short, was Savarin's brother. He had the same yellow coat as their mother, Madeleine, but his mane was spiky.

Tatin walked out of the backroom, complaining loudly. Misty lunged at him and gave him a noogie. He gave her a noogie in return before continuing to complain.

"Take care of the customers," said Madeleine. "I'm helping out Misty."

Misty watched the proceedings with a distant smile, using her magic and a hoof to adjust her mane. Once Tatin was operating the counters -two griffon customers entered right that second,- Misty gave Madeleine the lightest suitcase and they ascended the stairs to the living quarters.

The living quarters were in the topmost 'macaron' part of the building. The hallways were brightly coloured and dotted with family memorabilia. Misty carefully scanned them, asking about Madeleine's cousins and things until they reached Savarin's door.

Madeleine set down the suitcase from her mouth, licking her lips. "Savarin, your friend is here."

"Okay," came Savarin's quiet voice from inside the room.

"Well, let me know if you need anything."

"Of course," Misty said. "Dinner at the usual time?" She winked, and Madeleine laughed. Madeleine and Savarin had the same tinkling laugh.

Misty waited until Madeleine had descended the stairs, the sounds of her talking to Tatin rising in a whine before she rapped a hoof against the door. "I'm coming in."

No answer, which was an answer with Savarin. Misty walked in.

Savarin was lying sprawled out on her bed, horn glowing, as she carefully arranged layers of cake filling into a cake. It gleamed and sparkled, before she set it on a tray and moved onto the next one.

Her room floor was littered with cakes. The lighting was dim.

"You're experimenting again?" Misty asked.

Savarin smiled, not looking away from her work. "I had a nap and got good ideas in my dreams. There are ground up gems in the icing. I am also using a spell for cooking the ingredients in seconds." She set another gleaming cake on a tray. "I'll be done soon."

Misty inched around the cakes, carful not to step on a single one until she reached the bed and took a seat. "Take your time. I love seeing you work."

Savarin smiled even wider, looping icing around a cake, making strawberries appear out of thin air like they were fireworks. Savarin's eyes gleamed and sparkled.

Misty hadn't been there when Savarin had gotten her Cutie Mark. She wished she had been.

Savarin's speciality was baking mixed with magic.  
Her cutie mark was a savarin pastry, a circular thing shaped like a cake-sized doughnut filled with cream and fruit in the centre. But, more than that, it had several white sparkles running through the cream.  
Magic.

"Savarin, are you sure you're okay not eating the Fire Flower with me?" Misty asked. "You could make even better pastries. You'd be losing out."

"I'm fine the way I am." Savarin twisted her head to face Misty. "I can't wait to see you with power." She paused, brown eyes deep as whirlpools before she shook her head and came back to Equestria.

Misty flopped next to her friend.  


Another cake formed above and Savarin set on the floor. "What will you do?"

"With power? What can't I do? The sky is the limit, Savarin. The sky is the limit."

"Let's focus on right now."

Misty poked Savarin with her hoof, causing her friend to twitch and laugh. For a few minutes, the two sat on the bed, dozing in and out until Madeleine yelled up the stairs for them to come down for dinner.


	5. Ending with a kiss

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Trigger warning for non-con in the chapter.

"So, what's his name?" Misty asked casually.

Rain streamed down the windows. Savarin and her would usually be walking around, exploring Ponyville. Not today.

"His name is Hamburger," Savarin said. "They run a fast food place. He said he wanted to come over, so I said yes."

"Fast food? Is it a Neigh York thing? I don't know what it is, but I don't like it."

Savarin's tone was light and teasing. "Of course, you don't."

A pony was walking up to the bakery. Misty gave him a cursory glance. He had a hamburger for a cutie mark. She didn't know what she had expected.

He danced around in a circle a little, then turned to face a griffon behind him.

"Was he inviting others?" Misty asked.

"Hm. I guess he did," Savarin noted.

"Are you okay with that?"

"Yes. The more, the merrier."

Hamburger twirled around, and the griffon started to laugh at him.

He turned all the way around, balancing on his hoofs, and it was at that point, he spotted Misty staring at him.  
She waved with a smile, and his cheeks turned a bright red.

The griffon laughed even harder and rolled around on the ground with mirth. Hamburger walked up the pink stairs and knocked on the door with a hoof.

Savarin opened the door and bowed. "I'm Savarin. This is my friend Misty Flare."

"Hello," Misty said, waving eagerly. "Did you invite anyone else?"

Hamburger walked in, Savarin flashing him with a drying spell right away. He said a quick thanks and stepped out of the way to let the griffon in.

"I did invite a few more creatures," he said. "I hope that's okay."

"I love parties," Savarin answered flatly.

Sharp talons suddenly started shaking Misty's hoof. It was the griffon, dark black fur, with light blue wings. She had a maroon scarf around her neck. "It's a pleasure to meetcha. I'm Gina."

"I'm Misty Flare," Misty said as peppily as she could. 'How many creatures did Hamburger invite? Do you know?"

"He told me, then I asked my friends, and some of my friends asked my other friends." Gina shook her hoof even harder until Misty was almost vibrating with the movement.

Misty wrapped Gina up in a hug, squeezing her hard and resting her head on Gina's. "I'm so happy to meet you! So, how many creatures is that?"

"Dunno!"

Misty released her, and Gina stepped as far away from her as she could so she didn't get another surprise hug. Misty smirked in satisfaction.

"Will Madeleine be alright with this, Savarin?" Misty asked.

"I'll ask." Savarin trotted off, leaving Misty with them in the main room of the bakery. Misty looked at Gina and Hamburger, and Hamburger looked at her.

"How did you meet Savarin?" Misty asked suddenly.

"Who's Savarin?" Gina said.

Misty resisted the urge to face hoof. "Okay, I'm going to go see what's taking Savarin so long. We need to get this party started, or not."

Some hubbub started outside, several creatures making their way up to the bakery. "Keep the... riffraff entertained," she said, waving a hoof in their general direction.

"Can do!" Hamburger said brightly.

Misty walked in the direction Savarin had gone, pricking her ears when she heard Hamburger letting in the other guests.

Down the hallway, she walked, through some double doors that led into the bakery's kitchens. The kitchens were a maze of brightly coloured stoves and counters, and brightly coloured pots swinging from hooks on the ceiling.

Madeleine was mixing some dry ingredients in a metal bowl. Savarin was next to her, whisking away some eggs.

Madeleine set down the whisk, measuring out some sugar. She looked up when she spotted Misty. "Hello, dear."

"Hi, Madeleine. The guests have arrived," Misty said. "Did Savarin tell you about it?"

"She did."

Savarin kept mixing the eggs, pouring some milk into them.

"I'm okay with it," Madeleine replied. "Oh, I'm so happy. You can use the living room upstairs, Savarin."

Savarin nodded, sticking her tongue out as she mixed the eggs and milk into a froth.

"Could I talk with Savarin for a second?" Misty asked.

"Go ahead," Madeleine answered.

"Do you have anywhere private?"

"Ah, I'll be at the other end of the kitchens. I won't hear whatever you two say," Madeleine replied. She took the bowl from Savarin, balanced it on her hoof, and grabbed the dry ingredients bowl. She went to the far side of the kitchens.

"So, Savarin," Misty drawled. "Are you okay with this whole party? While Hamburger is a drag, he is alright in my book. Gina is too much and doesn't know your name, or she didn't care to learn it, the nerve." She sniffed sharply.

"I don't know," Savarin answered. "I've never had a party before. I wanted to see if I'd like it."

Misty pressed her eyes shut and breathed out slowly. "Okay. If you're okay with it. Okay."

Savarin shifted around. "I am. Er Misty- what were you planning on doing to kick them out if I said no?"

"That's a surprise for some other time." Misty smirked and winked at her while they walked out of the kitchens to the main room.

"Misty," Savarin giggled.

They walked to the main room of the bakery. The guests stood everywhere. There was one pony she had never expected to see ever again: Nettle.

-

There were eleven guests, two pegasi, Gina, Hamburger, Nettle, a yak, three changeling brothers, and a dragon.

She shared a look with Savarin. Savarin bit her lip.

Buck, Misty thought. Nettle had to go.

Savarin led all the guests upstairs, including Nettle, and into the upstairs living room.

Pictures of family members rested on mini-tables, and there were cushions and couches.

Like every room in the house, things were brightly coloured. The frames of the pictures were decorated with mini- plastic pieces of tart or sprinkles.

The guests talked amongst one another.

Savarin ran off to grab some hay chips and other treats. She returned with bowls. The yak turned on the music, Misty watching closely to make sure she didn't start stomping or anything.

Nettle was sitting next to one of the changelings, eyes narrowing in Misty's direction while Misty stat next to Gina, gulping down hay chips. She pretended not to notice Nettle's stare, but she could still feel it. She shot Nettle a smile.

Savarin shifted nervously next to her, giving Hamburger one-word answers to whatever he said. Nettle had to go.

Misty hovered a bottle of lemon-aid over to her, chugging it down and holding up the empty bottle. "Who is up for spin the bottle?"

Heads turned towards her, and there was a bunch of yeses and noes, and everycreature was suddenly sitting on pillows and were arranged in a circle.

Misty frowned, setting the green bottle in the centre of their circle.

"Spin the bottle?" Nettle asked. "Are we really playing this, Misty? It's so immature."

"Do you not want to play?" Misty shot back. "You can sit out if you want."

The guests murmured amongst themselves. Gina ate a clawful of popcorn loudly.

"No, I want to play," Nettle said.

"Good. Now, this is how it works for those who don't know." Misty's eyebrows went up and down at Nettle.

"I said, I know how to play!" Nettle said.

"As I was saying..." The guests chuckled. "Whoever the bottle lands on, you get seven minutes in heaven. You can do whatever you want in the closet over there." She pointed with her hoof. "Who wants to go first?"

"Me! Me! Me!" said Gina.

"Easy, Gina," Hamburger said.

Gina stuck out her tongue. "I hope I get you."

He sputtered, his face turning red.

Gina rested her claws around the bottle, and around the bottle went. Around and around.  
Misty held her breath. The bottle slowed to a halt, resting on... Savarin.

Dread pooled in Misty's stomach. "You don't have to if you don't want to."

"It's the rules," Nettle said sharply.

"Come on, Savvy," said Gina, and she and Savarin headed to the closet. The door clicked shut behind them.

Misty's eyes blurred as she stared at the bottle. She grabbed another lemon-aid to sip and talked to the yak about her very interesting nose ring.

Time dragged until out popped Savarin and Gina.

One of the changelings shape-shifted into a wolf and wolf-whistled.

"We just talked," Gina chirped. "New bestie."

Misty eyed Savarin, and Savarin gave her a reassuring smile. Gina was telling the truth.

"Who's next?" Savarin asked.

A few others went first until it was Misty's turn. She pressed a glob of popcorn onto the bottle and gave it a casual spin. Just right.

A nudge of magic while she reached for some popcorn over the bottle so no one could see, and it landed on Nettle.

Nettle huffed.

Misty wiped off the bottle, smiling at Savarin before she walked with Nettle to the closet.

It had coats hanging up on the right, but two stools were set up inside. Misty closed the door, and they sat on the stools opposite one another.

Nettle crossed her forearms. "You did that on purpose."

"How?" Misty asked.

"You totally did," Nettle said. "It's not my fault Princess Twilight found out and threw you out of school."

Had Princess Twilight done that? Of course, she had- no cheating was allowed.

"It was only a matter of time before you were kicked out," continued Nettle. "Before you punched me."

"I know." Misty leaned closer. "I know."

"What are you doing?!"

Misty channelled her fire into her hoof and hovered it near Nettle's throat. "Don't do any magic, or else. Don't scream." She could feel Nettle swallow hard.

"I've changed," Nettle said.

Misty laughed, causing Nettle's cheeks to burn red.

"I have! We were seven."

"It doesn't matter."

Nettle went a very pale green. "A-Are you going to-"

"No, that would be pointless. I want you to remember this."

"S-Stop."

"No." Misty pressed her hoof over Nettle's mouth. She could feel her nirik fangs growing, pressing against her gums. She dug her fangs into Nettle's neck.

Her fire hoof went out; it wasn't needed to press Nettle against the floor, to trail bites with her sharp fangs up and down Nettle's neck. She went lower and lower, trailing across Nettle's stomach until she met Nettle's clit.

She gave it a bite, pressing her hoof against Nettle's mouth to stop her screaming. Blood filled Misty's mouth, staining her fangs.

Misty swallowed and sat up. Her face was slick, and she wiped herself off with a hoof.

Nettle was shaking, her eyes wide. Misty stroked her face with a hoof and pressed her mouth to Nettle's. She wanted Nettle to taste the blood. She wanted Nettle to know who was in control.

"When this closet door opens, I want you to leave," Misty said at a whisper.

Nettle nodded shakily, and when the time was up and the closet door did open, she did what she was told. It was perfection.

Misty ended up enjoying the rest of the party without Nettle around.

When the last guest left, she and Savarin took out a puzzle, and Misty told Savarin everything.

"That is evil," Savarin said with a smile. "I had lots of fun too."

Misty laughed. She considered the night a success.


	6. And a new dawn.

Madeleine made apple pancakes with fresh blueberries, whipped cream, and maple syrup for breakfast. It was more dessert than a meal, but Misty wolfed it down amid telling tales of Kirin Grove.

Only Savarin had visited Kirin Grove, and she stayed quiet while Misty spoke.

"It sounds marvellous," said Madeleine.

"I want to visit someday," Tatin said around his fork. He sawed at his pancakes and took a huge mouthful before setting down his fork so he could speak properly. "There's this Kirin I know who can do fire tricks. Could you do that, Misty?"

Misty smiled and didn't say a word. Her control over her nirik form wasn't the best, and she couldn't do any magic tricks. "More syrup, Tatin?"

Tatin grabbed the syrup jug from Misty and poured some more over his pancakes.

"What are you planning on doing today?" Madeleine asked.

"I can help out if you need any-" began Misty.

"You're on vacation, dear."

"I insist," Misty said. "If there's anything..."

"We do need more syrup," Madeleine said, eyeing Tatin who had just set down the syrup jug.

He blinked when he noticed Madeleine, Misty and Savarin were all eyeing him. "What?"

Misty let herself laugh, and soon Madeleine and Tatin joined in while Savarin's eyes twinkled with quiet laughter.

Misty hovered a scrap of paper from the table and a pencil and wrote down syrup. "Do we need anything else?"

Madeleine hummed, and Tatin scrunched up his brow in thought.

"Apples, sugar, and eggs," Savarin said right away.

Misty wrote them down. After some more thinking, Misty added vegetables to the list.

Tatin insisted on coming along, and the three of them set off.

The sun was bright, and the sky was a bright, shining blue. The weather was so warm, and almost everyone was out and about.

"I love Summer," said Tatin. He breathed in and then breathed out. "We have to sightsee."

"I've seen most of the places," Misty said.

Tatin tutted. "But there are places only the locals know." He tapped his nose and winked.

"It's true," Savarin said simply, with an expression saying to humour him.

They went and did their shopping, and returned to the Bakery to put the food away before Tatin set off to show Misty the best places in Ponyville.

The places Tatin took her and Savarin to she had seen before. Still, she didn't want to ruin his fun, so she kept her lips sealed.

By the time the tour was done, it was noon, and the three stopped at a sandwich shop to eat.

Misty was daintily eating her sandwich when she heard some whispering, the source being two ponies a table over.

"Excuse me," Misty said, setting down her sandwich. "What are you two whispering about?"

The ponies looked over. One propped up a menu on the table, blocking his face and Misty from view and he whispered: "Twilight's student is here. Luster Dawn."

"Hey, doesn't she go to your school, Savarin?" asked Tatin.

The two ponies gasped, fixing Savarin with a wide-eyed look.

"She is. She's three years older," Savarin replied.

"She doesn't go there anymore," said the pony. "She lives in Ponyville now."

Savarin squeaked. "She's here."

"We know that!" snapped the pony.

Misty was about to tell him off, but Savarin pointed a quivering hoof.  
Walking down the street was Luster Dawn walking with four other creatures, two of which Misty recognized as Gina and Hamburger. The other two were a yak and a kirin.

Misty couldn't taste the rest of her sandwich. Each bite was a gluey mess weighing down her tongue.

Once they had finished eating, Savarin paid for their sandwiches, and they set off home.

"It's pretty cool. Twilight's student is living here," said Tatin. "I'm so jealous of Winter."

"Who's Winter?" asked Misty.

"The kirin Luster's friends with."

Misty shared a look with Savarin. He knows them.

Savarin shook her head; she didn't know Winter. It must be because Winter -the kirin- was Tatin's age.

"Winter Gale. We were in school together," continued Tatin. "The yak I don't know well, but her name is Yafa. She moved from Yakyakistan a year ago. Winter's friends with her. Then there's Hamburger and Gina..."

Misty smiled and nodded along until they reached the Bakery.

-

"Delicious dinner," said Misty.

Madeleine twittered, and Misty trotted upstairs, carefully closing Savarin's bedroom door behind her.

She sat down on the floor next to Savarin, leaning her back against Savarin's bed. "I'm here for one more week. It will give us time to change our asteroid plan."

"They will try to stop us."

Like with everything, Ponyville was the centre. The asteroid would fly by Ponyville and be in range for them to use their magic rope to lasso it.

"We will figure it out," Savarin said. "We always do."

Misty breathed in, trying to get some of Savarin's confidence. Her legs shook. "Are you still friends with Gina?"

"We haven't talked since the party a week ago." Savarin's shadow shifted next to Misty. "We need a back-up plan. Tatin."

"Are you okay with your brother being a mole?"

"Moles are cute."

Misty cracked a smile. An image came into her head of Tatin as a mole and a tiny top hat for some reason. "I'm in Kirin Grove, and you're at school in Canterlot. He sends you letters, and we can keep track of Luster and her new friends. We'll be one step ahead."

"It is perfect. Tatin will have some new friends. Ever since he graduated, he's drifted away from his old friends..."

"Everyone wins."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next chapter they try out their friendship plan...


	7. I love the shitty things we do together

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter title is from a lyric in the song: Hell and You by Amigo the Devil.

Time passed in the slow and careful way summer holidays had. A day felt like a millennium. 

Misty bought some new dresses from Carousel Boutique, which Sandbar and Yona ran. 

Tatin came along. He spent a while talking to Sandbar, even delivering an order of macarons, which Yona wolfed down by herself. 

When Misty returned home, she was furious. 

Savarin had gone from a stroll and had returned teary-eyed. She smiled, said nothing was wrong and fell asleep on her bed in a matter of seconds.

Misty paced back and forth until she went into the kitchen. 

Tatin sat at the table, staring out of the window, stirring a cup of cocoa. He smiled when he spotted Misty, but his smile fell. "Is she still crying? She won't talk to me."

Misty took a seat next to him. It wasn't a good sign. Savarin loved her brother, and she told him almost everything- not about the asteroid, but other stuff.

"I make the best cocoa," she said. 

"Is it special kirin cocoa?"

Misty lied with a nod, and quickly whipped some up, pouring the scalding liquid into two mugs. 

They sat in silence, Tatin sipping on his cocoa while Misty did the same. 

"She'll tell us when she's ready," Misty replied, hoping she was right. She smiled at Tatin and patted him. 

The next day was more of the same. Around the table during dinner, Savarin didn't listen quietly to the conversation like she usually did. She kept her head bowed over her food. 

After Madeleine went downstairs to clean up the bakery, Tatin and Misty sat with Savarin.

Savarin hadn't touched her bacon and eggs.

"Savarin, you can talk to us about anything," Misty asked. 

"What she said. But hey, if you aren't going to finish your bacon and eggs-" began Tatin.

Savarin cracked a smile at Tatin's joke and pushed the plate toward him. "Am I boring?" 

"What?" Misty whispered. "No, of course you're not. Who said that to you?"

Savarin poked her hoof against an egg, twirling her fork around with her magic. "Last night, I went to find Gina to talk to her. She said she didn't want to hang out with me because I was boring."

Misty bit her lip. "WHAT."

Tatin coughed, and Misty looked at him. "I believe it." He frowned at his plate, poking at his eggs until the yolk burst. "I used to hang out with Gina, but she was mean. I couldn't talk to her at your party, but I thought maybe she had changed. I didn't want to mention anything to you..."

"I see," Misty said slowly. "Where does Gina live?"

Savarin's eyes widened slightly. 

"I won't beat her up or anything, as much as I want to," Misty replied. "I want to talk to her."

Savarin shrugged, looking down at her lap.

Tatin puffed out his chest. "You'll need me to show you the directions."

Misty didn't look at Savarin, not wanting to put her on the spot, but Savarin said something without her prompting: "I'm going to have a nap."

The streets outside were quiet with creatures heading home from work, and stars were appearing. Shadows stretched and writhed purple. 

Even Tatin spoke at a whisper: "Yafa -friend of Luster Dawn- lives there." He pointed to a tiny house, almost cramped between the houses on either side. 

The next time he spoke was further on, past the fountain and the town square, and down another street. They stopped near a brightly coloured building; the roof was thatched straw and dyed a garish red, while the front was painted yellow and red. Tables were set out front. 

"This is Hamburgers' families fast food place," Tatin explained. "We really should go some time."

"Perhaps," was Misty's answer. If it meant talking to Hamburger again, she'd rather not if she could help it. But talking to him [i]could[/i] be helpful. "Where's Gina's house?"

"Here. She lives next door." Tatin pointed a hoof at the house next to Hamburgers'.   
Gina's house was ordinary if slanting more than the others. "Do you need me to be here?" 

Misty arched an eyebrow at Tatin. "Do you need to be somewhere?" She had hoped to smooth the situation over, and -since Savarin wasn't going to be friends with Gina- perhaps their backup plan could be set into motion.

"Just curious," he gulped. "Gina and I didn't exactly end on good terms. You know."

"You can leave."

"Thanks." He beamed, then frowned. "I'm sorry." 

Misty waved him off. Once Tatin had galloped off, she went to the door and gave it a sharp knock with her hoof. 

"Dang nabbit, who the heck is that?" muttered a voice from inside. "We don't want any more junk mail!"

The door swung open, and Misty was face to face with a glowering griffon. He was the same grey that Gina was. 

Hamburger had mentioned Gina lived with her father -the griffon, Misty assumed- and his second wife. His first wife -Gina's biological mother- had died in childbirth. 

"We don't want any more junk mail, especially so late at night," he said to her.

Misty bent back her head and laughed. She stopped at his glaring expression. "I'm sorry sir, I'm here for Gina."

"Who is it?" asked a feminine voice from behind him. 

"Somekirin here for Gina," the griffon said, turning his head to yell. "Ain't ever seen her before. Not one of Gina's fancy-schmancy new friends. None of them would come by at 9 p.m., I'm telling you."

"I'm Misty," Misty said helpfully. "Gina was rude to a friend of mine."

The griffon harrumphed. "Was she, you reckon?"

"I'm not leaving until I can talk to her."

"Oh, let her in, Ronald," said the feminine voice and the owner of the voice appeared. 

The owner was a pegasus, a bright orange with a blue mane -Ronald's second wife. Her cutie mark was a feather, which told Misty nothing except to appeal to her instead of the griffon. 

"She called my friend boring," Misty said, directing her woes to the pegasus.

The pegasus opened her mouth, but the griffon interrupted: "my Gina is honest. She tells it like it is. If she says your friend is boring, then your friend is boring. Simple as that. Now get lost." 

The griffon started to close the door, and Misty looked plaintively at the pegasus. The pegasus smiled sadly, and the door clicked shut in Misty's face. 

Now, the thing Misty had realized about Ponyville was nobody locked their doors. There wasn't a need. It was the same in Kirin Grove.

So, Misty took it as an invitation to find another way in. She went down between the houses and turned into Gina's house's backyard. 

Jackpot. There were a back door and a window. 

She pressed her ear against the backdoor, and she could dimly hear the griffon and the pegasus having a conversation. 

"Gina," she said. She stopped and said the name louder. 

Still nothing.

She levitated a pebble and flung it at the window on the top floor. The window cracked open, and Gina's head popped out. 

A second later, the rest of her body followed, and she flew down to meet Misty. She wasn't wearing her scarf, and her neck was very bare without it. 

"Do I know you?" Gina asked.

"I was at the party you went to."

Gina scrunched up her face and beamed. "Right, you're that creepy kirin."  
  
Misty's eyelid twitched. "What makes me creepy? Do you know Nettle?"

Gina grinned. "Who's Nettle? I'm saying- you're here below my window throwing pebbles at my window. That's pretty creepy. What do ya want?"

Misty breathed out. "You called Savarin boring. Her feelings are hurt. I want you to apologize tomorrow." 

"But she is boring." Gina tilted her head at Misty. "I didn't want to lie. She can take it as words of improvement. Creatures do that, right?"

"Gina," said Misty, crooning out each word, "you can see how your words could be taken badly? Can't you?"

"I was being honest."

Misty opened her mouth and closed it. It was like talking in circles. "Okay. Have a good night."

Gina beamed at her and flew back up to her window. The window closed behind her with a thunk. 

Misty waited for a few more minutes until there was utter silence. 

Quietly, she crept to the corner of the house and hovered her hoof an inch away from the building. Her hoof burned bright, red with a centre of blue fire. 

She had the power to burn their house down. She held their lives in her hooves. 

There would be a reckoning in two years, and Gina would be at the top of her list. 

-

The next creature Misty decided to talk to was Hamburger. Early in the morning, while Savarin was still asleep, she walked to the fast food place as it was opening.

Hamburger was opening it up to the public, and he smiled and waved when he saw Misty. 

Tatin had told her everything he knew about Hamburger: eight siblings and two very overworked parents. Hamburger hadn't been able to move out because he needed to stay behind to work. 

"Hi, Misty," said Hamburger. "Do you want a hamburger special? It comes with fries."

Misty hovered some bits towards him. "Yes, please." She then explained about Gina as he led her inside and to a bright red booth. 

He shouted her order to the kitchens and stopped next to Misty. "I'll talk to her. Hey, this sounds like a classic friendship problem."

"Perhaps you should bring in Luster Dawn as well? We could solve it together."  
  
"Sure, come by around five-thirty. That's when I'm off."

Misty ate her order when it arrived and even ordered some hay fries to go. For the rest of her day, she helped Madeleine, Tatin and Savarin in the bakery.

Before she knew it, she and Savarin were walking to the fast-food place. 

Savarin sighed. 

Misty stopped walking suddenly, and Savarin did the same. "Do you not want to do this? You can say right now, and we can use a spell instead." 

"I don't want to. You can kill them later."

Misty nibbled on her lip. "Fine, but we have to tell Hamburger. Not the killing part, but the other stuff. I don't want him showing up at the bakery to ask where we were."

They arrived as Hamburger was turning the door sign around to 'closed.' He noticed them and beamed. "Hiya guys."

"Hamburger, we're going to leave it be," Misty said. 

Hamburger's expression wavered. "Oh. Okay."

Misty and Savarin turned to leave and faced the rest of the friend group: Gina, Luster Dawn, Yafa and Winter Gale. 

"We were just leaving," Savarin said, holding her head high. Her white and red tipped mane shifted in a slight breeze and the air crackled with magic.

"Hamburger," Luster Dawn said. "Are these two going to beat you up?" 

"Savarin said we were leaving. How does that translate to us beating Hamburger up?" Misty asked.

Luster looked between them and Hamburger, covering her mouth with a hoof. "I thought..."

"Don't assume." 

Misty waved her hoof and walked down the street with Savarin, while behind them the new friends started to talk amongst over one another.

Misty and Savarin didn't look back. 

-

Two days later, Misty and Savarin sat in her room.

A pink bubble surrounded Savarin's entire room while her horn glowed white. It was a sound blocking spell.  
Even if somecreature stood outside Savarin's bedroom door, no one would be able to hear them speak.

The air crackled with power. Savarin closed her eyes, her horn glowing brighter and brighter, first a star then a supernova of light. 

A blob of light shifted from her horn and coalesced in the air into a portal.  
  
Through it, she could see Luster and her new friends.

It showed them in a field somewhere. Yafa and Gina were tossing around a frisbee. 

The others were having a picnic. Hamburger had even prepared mini-hamburgers, and Winter Gale was eating most of them. 

Misty yanked her gaze away from the portal. Jealousy kept flaring, and she didn't like it one bit. 

Savarin scootched closer to Misty and rested her head on Misty's shoulder. "I'm sorry. I should've let Gina apologize."

"You don't have too. This way is more fun."

Savarin sighed, snuggling closer. Her smile was soft but sad. Her glowing horn made Misty blink stars from her eyes. 

"Are you still depressed?" Misty asked. "If I have the Fire Flower, I can take it away."

Savarin hummed, then twitched, knocking against Misty's snout. 

Misty rubbed at her nose, feeling a bruise forming. "What happened?"

"Gina."

Misty looked at the portal, at the group of friends. Gina wasn't there, and Yafa was now sitting on the picnic blanket with the others. 

Savarin shuffled closer to the portal, swiping through it with a hoof. It rippled and churned, swirling like milk in coffee, before dissipating. Her horn stopped glowing, and the spell surrounding the room also popped. 

A moment later, Madeleine yelled up the stairs: "there's a friend here for you."

"Friend," snorted Misty. "Is she your friend?"

Savarin's lips curled slightly. 

The two of them walked into the main living room. Gina was waiting for them, wringing her claws. 

Madeleine smiled once she saw Misty and Savarin. "There they are. I'll leave you two to it. I'm downstairs in the bakery if you two need anything." She waved and trotted back downstairs. 

Gina kept on wringing her claws, gulping a few times. Her eyes shimmered with tears.

Misty nudged Savarin, and Savarin nodded, giving Misty permission to speak to Gina.

"Well?" Misty asked. 

Out of the corner of her eye, the pink silencing spell started surrounding the room, Savarin scrunching her brow as she cast it. Once Savarin had cast it, her face relaxed. 

"Are you here to apologize?" Misty asked. "Have you learned a friendship lesson? That's what you do, isn't it?"

Gina burst into tears. "Yes, I'm sorry. I'm sorry. Do you want to be friends, Savarin? I'm sorry."

"Hmmm," Savarin replied. "No. I don't accept your apology."

Gina blinked, stunned. "But, I apologized."

"She doesn't have to accept your apology," Misty added. 

"But I... I'm sorry!" Gina wailed, falling to her knees. She spread her wings and bowed even further. "I want creatures to like me. I want-"

Misty hushed Gina, walking towards her. She reached out a hoof, touching it under the griffon's chin. She tilted her head up. "It's all about you, isn't it? But, there is one thing that would make Savarin forgive you. Your scarf. Give it to us, and it's all forgiven."

Savarin shivered. Misty could read Savarin; she was trying not to laugh.

"But this is my Dad's-" began Gina.

"Shhh. Shhh." Misty brushed her hoof along Gina's beak. "No scarf, no forgiving. That's how it works."

"That's how it works," echoed Savarin. 

Gina backed away from Misty and looked between them. She had stopped crying. However, her eyes were still puffy. "You're mean."

Misty sighed. She had gone too far. "Forget."

"Forget," echoed Savarin. She cast a spell on Gina, and when the light cleared, Gina was frozen where she was standing.

Misty grabbed the scarf from around Gina's neck and passed it to Savarin, and in turn, Savarin wrapped it around her neck. 

With one flick of Savarin's horn, Gina started to speak: "I want creatures to like me. I want-"

"We want you to leave," Misty said.

Gina swayed and walked as if she were drunk all the way out of the room. 

Once she was gone, Savarin explained: "I wiped her memory of her having gotten the scarf and of us threatening her." 

"That's evil."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hmmm... do you think Luster Dawn and the others will notice Gina isn't wearing her scarf? 
> 
> Hmmm.


	8. Lost in cheap delirium

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter title is from the first line in Home by Zero 7.
> 
> I have caught up with my backlog, so no chapters for a while.  
> There's also a forced kiss in this chapter.
> 
> Also, thank you random guest for giving me a kudos. Whoever you are, thank you.  
> I was going to remove this story and only keep it on fimfiction, and you made it worth it.

The summer holidays ended. 

Misty had her suitcases packed for when she headed back to Kirin Grove, and Savarin had hers packed for when she went back to school in Canterlot.

Misty did spot Nettle once, but Nettle quickly disappeared back into her house. She heard from Tatin Nettle had even mysteriously dropped out of the School for Gifted Unicorns.

Before Misty knew it, she was on the train ride "home." 

In the years since Applejack and Fluttershy had visited, the train station near Kirin Grove had been spruced up, and the track even went further into the jungle itself. 

There were even benches for creatures to sit and wait. 

Dad was waiting for her when the train pulled up, and a newspaper was spread open on his lap. He folded it up when she stepped off the train with her suitcases. "Kiddo! How was your trip? You're just in time for the festival."

He was talking about the end of summer festival. 

Misty usually ended up helping out, handing out samples of beer to festival-goers, or operating their stall. 

Kirin Grove was adorned with ribbons and streamers. Stalls were peppered everywhere, selling all manner of things from clothes to food.  
On a stage further on, a play was happening. It was Taming of the shrew by William Shakespony. 

Misty managed to get some bits from Dad to go around the various stalls. She bought a hoof-stitched dress from one of the clothing stalls, pulling it on. The dress was green and patterned with flowers.

While munching on some popcorn, she saw her school "friends": Pearl Love (unicorn), Icicle Wind (Kirin) and Anise Swirl (Kirin). 

"Misty, you're back," exclaimed Pearl, gathering Misty up in her perfumy grip. 

"Like, I had so much fun. I do need a drink. Should I get some, like, from my Dad?" Misty said.

Pearl let Misty go. "Anise got some. Her boyfriend gave it to us. He's so hot, and you need to meet him."

Anise tossed her straightened mane. The curls were already reforming.  
It was nearly impossible to keep kirin hair straight. 

The group moved through the crowd, away from the stalls to the very fringes of the festival. 

Here, the music barely reached, instead turning into a dull thumping. Many teenage creatures were also making out in the bushes. 

Misty found some overturned logs, and they sat down on them. Icicle lit a cigarette while Anise poured each of them a cup of beer. 

"We missed you so much," said Pearl. 

"I did too," lied Misty. "Ponyville is soooo boring without you guys. I can't believe Daddy forced me to go. Tear." She ran her hoof down her face and puckered her lips. She gulped beer before gulping down the rest. She held her cup out for some more, and Anise topped her up. 

"Life was so boring without you," Anise said. 

"Seconded," said Pearl. 

"Thirded," added Icicle.

Pearl told her all the gossip she had lost out on; Anise's boyfriend. He was a cute dragon that worked at the library. 

"He's so, like, nerdy," said Pearl. 

"Glasses?" Misty asked. 

Pearl nodded. "He's, like, thirty."

Misty wrinkled her nose. "But he's old."

"He's cute. You have to meet him."

Misty stuck out her tongue and wrinkled her nose. "Anise, let me guess, he says you're mature for your age?"

Anise looked put out, tapping her hooves together. "He got us alcohol."

"Honey, my Dad works at a brewery, and I have him wrapped around my hoof," Misty drawled. "Break up with him, or else you're out of our group."

"Fine," said Anise, hanging her head. 

Icicle's cigarette glowed in the dark. 

Misty started a fire with her hoof, shadows making monsters squirm around the trees, scaring away any forest critter stupid enough to come close.

Underneath a full moon, Misty and her "friends" danced.

Icicle's hoof-held radio belted out tinny tunes into the night. 

Anise had brought marshmallows for them to roast, and Misty ate so many she felt like she'd throw up. 

She had to sit down, leaving the others to dance. Anise stopped dancing to sag next to her, beer sloshing down her front and staining her fur. 

Misty stroked her hoof down Anise's thigh, along her tail. Anise gurgled, her fourth cup dropping from her magic.

Misty pressed her mouth to Anise's. Anise tasted of beer and marshmallows, her mouth opening and closing. Her gorge rose, and she threw up into Anise's mouth. 

Anise staggered back while spitting vomit out of her mouth. She groaned and slumped on the log. 

Misty wiped at her mouth, spitting until she couldn't taste vomit. Her throat burned. "I'm going home."

"See you in school," Pearl slurred, swaying from side to side. She popped another marshmallow in her mouth. 

Misty staggered home, bumping into trees.

The festival was finished. Almost everyone was back in the houses. A few stragglers sat in a circle, strumming a guitar and singing in low voices.  
They paid her no mind. 

She stopped to throw up once more in the bushes, before staggering the long route up to the mansion.

The lights were still on, and Misty walked inside.  
Sitting at the table were Mom and Dad.

"I'm going to bed," Misty said, moving toward the stairs.

"Hold it. What time do you think it is?" Mom asked. "Are you drunk?"

Misty stopped at the foot of the stairs, looking between her parents. "Why are you here, Mom? He's a better daughter than I'd ever be. That's why we stopped having mother-daughter days, isn't it?"

Mom opened and closed her mouth. "It's two in the morning! No warning, nothing."

"Daddy, you're not going to ground me, right?"  


Dad tugged at his bow tie. This one was decorated with mini-beers. Mom's attention turned to him. 

"Kiddo," he said. "I understand how hard it is, being a teen. You can stay out as late as you want, but no more drinking."  


"Oak-" began Mom. 

"You're the best daddy." Misty's tone chilled when she said to Mom: "goodnight, Mother."

Mom's eyes narrowed at Misty, but Misty stared right back. Mom looked away first.

Misty walked up the stairs and went into her room.

Dad had put away all her dresses, and her suitcases were sitting near her door. 

"I thought that was you," Leafy said from his bedside table spot. "Man, your Mom really doesn't like you."

Misty flopped into her bed, wriggling out of her dress. She tossed it into the hamper and rolled onto her back.

Mom and Dad had started arguing downstairs.

She crept out of her room and sat at the top of the stairs, just out of sight.

"Can I go to bed now? She's home, isn't she?" Dad was saying. 

"You're the one who called me in a panic when she wasn't home tonight." Mom paused. "Oak, she questions my authority all the time, especially when she stays the weekend at my place. She needs rules, guidelines."

"But it's so hard."

"Try harder," Mom said. A chair was pushed back, screeching across the floor. Mom's shadow moved. "She's almost an adult, and she-she scares me. I'm scared of what she'll do when she's independent."

Misty stole back into her room and turned out the light, and she dreamed of her city of pure gold where her subjects would worship the ground she walked on.

She'd be a goddess and Savarin would be her prophet. 

-

To Misty's dismay, Dad did try to ground her for staying out too late. 

She laughed in his face until Mom came by and enforced it. 

It meant Misty spent more time in her room, with Leafy, who was way more annoying than she remembered so she put him in her closet and closed the door.


End file.
